Machine for reinking type-writer ribbons



(No Model;) 2'Shets- Shee t12 MAUHINB FOR REINKING TYPE" WRITER RIBBONS.

No 506,126. Patented 001:; 3 /1893;

l '4 II "minim mm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. LOWVE, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

MACHINE FOR REINKING TYPE-WRITER RIBBONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters l atent No..506,126, dated October 3, 1893.

Application filed July 1893- Serial No. 479,651. (No model.) I

To all whom'itrmay concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. LOWE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the countyof Douglas and State of Nebraska, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Reinking Type-Writer Ribbons; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and ex-;

act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit ap pertains to make and use the same.-

My invention relates to improvements in machines for re-inkingtypewriter ribbons, and it is especially intended for the purpose of cleaning and re-inking typewriter ribbons,

from which the ink has been worn off by continued use.

It consists of certain novel features hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which the same parts are indicated by the same letters, throughout the several views.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the machine when in use. Fig. 2 represents a section along the line a: w of Fig. 3 and looking toward the top of the sheet on whichthe said Fig. 3 is placed. Fig. 3 represents a plan view of the machine in use. Fig. 4 represents a section through the roller frame, along the line w w of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 represents a detail view of the gearing by which the brushes are operated.

A represents the platform on which the machine is secured. B represents a frame attached to the said platform A, and provided with journal bearings, in which the shaft 0,

of the spool O is journaled. This spool is provided with a drum 0, side flanges 0 a crank C, and a handle 0 for turning the same.

D represents the roller frame, which is provided with a sliding piece D, which is adjusted by means of the thumb-screw B The rollers D and D are journaled in the bearings d in the fixedpart of the frame, and in the sliding pieceD' respectively, and one of these rollers D is provided with a thumb screw D on the end of its shaft 01" for the purpose of turning the said roller by hand when desired. The sliding piece D is provided with a slot d in the inner side thereof,

by the crank M and handle M through which the guide stud d projects, and thus the said sliding piece D is held-against vertical motion.

on the platform A. A ribbon stretcher is placed in the said ink well, which stretcher preferably consists of two side plates H cut away as at h in-order to allow the free inflow of ink, with smooth rods h, 7L2, h, h, and k connecting the two side plates together.

,K represents a frame secured .to the plat- 1 well F is provided, held in a suitable support.

form A, and supporting the spool M. This spool is provided with a central shaft m, a

drum m, and guide flanges m? between which the ribbon iswound.

Attached to one of the said guide flanges, I provide a spur wheel M gearing into the pinion R which is mounted on the same shaft with the gear wheel R and brush R, and the said gear wheel R revolves the gear wheel R and brush B. These brushes R and R are journaled in the frame P, which frame is pivotallyconnected to the frame K as at k, and is provided with shoulders 10 and 19 adapted to engage against the faces 10 and 1c respectively. The shoulder p bears against the face is when the pinion R meshes with the spur wheel M and the said frame is further supported by the strut Q. The shoulder 10 is adapted to strike the face 10 before the spur wheel M comes in contact with the shaft of the gear wheel R and thus it willbe seen that when the brush frame P is turned to the left as shown-in Fig. l, the brushes will be caused to revolve by turning the crank M;

The spool is revolved while if the brush frame be turned over to p IOO with a slot 1) adapted to receive and to guide the ribbon, and is left open as at 1) so that any particles of solid. matter swept ofi by the brush B may be thrown out through the front of the said frame.

S represents the ribbon to be re-inked. The operation of the device is as follows:- The end of the ribbon to be re-inked is passed through the slot 19, and between the brushes R and R, and is then attached to the drum.

m, as to a piece of cloth already Wound thereon. The end of the ribbon being attached to the drum, is wound on the spool M, passing its entire length between the rapidly revolving brushes R and R which remove most of the dust, dirt, and other solid foreign particles. WVhen the ribbon has been wound upon the spool M the pivoted roller frame D is turned up to the left, the stretcher frame is taken out of the well F, and the ribbon is passed over the rod h, under the rods 72 and h over the rod 71, and under the rod h. Thence it is passed between the rollers 12 and 11 which is readily done by turning the thumb screw D and thence it is led to the spool C, to which it is attached in any convenient way. The stretcher frame may be replaced in the well Fat any time after the ribbon has been passed around the connecting rods as explained above, when the free end of the ribbon can be passed through the presser rollers, and the roller frame lowered to its position on the frame E after the ink hasbeen poured in the well F, if not already in. The process of windingthe ribbon upon the spool 0 causes it to pass around the various rods h to 7L5, stretching it and at the same time the ribbon becomes thoroughly saturated with the ink; and when it reaches the spool C it is in the proper condition for re-use. The ribbon may be passed a second time between the brushes R R as shown in Fig. 2, or the brush frame may be thrown back out of the way before passing the ribbon through the ink. The requisite pressure on the rolls is imparted by means of the thumb screw D The stretcher frame should fit closely enough in the ink well F so as not to have much lateral play, and the ribbon should lead nearly vertically upward from the rod 7L5 in order that the excess of ink may run down freely. This passing the ribbon around these various smooth rods, produces the requisite amount of friction not only to stretch the ribbon, and to admit the freeaccess of the ink to the various parts thereof, but also tends to remedy the fault known as cupping, the centers of typewriter ribbons, after having been used, becoming much more stretched than the sides thereof. When the friction on these rods becomes sufficient the stretcher frame is lifted up for a short distance, but striking against the bottom of the roller frame, can not be lifted far.

The ribbon in passing around the various rods, will be for some time immersed in the ink, and will become thoroughly saturated; the length of time the ribbon remains in the ink will depend upon the speed with which the spool C is revolved, and if this be done slowly the ink will have ample time to penetrate the interstices andpores of the ribbon.

It will be seen that if a ribbon is kept at all times on each of the spools, and also on the stretcher frame, a new ribbon may be readily attached to the end connected to the spool M, and then wound on said spool, being brushed during the process of winding; and then the end of this ribbon just brushed may be attached to the ribbon passing around the stretcher frame, and may be drawn through the ink well, and wound on the spool G, by simply turning the crank C. By having the presser rolls D and D provided with open journal bearings such as d, these rollers may be readily removed and cleaned, and then replaced.

By the use of the herein described apparatus, a worn typewriter ribbon may be quickly and thoroughly re-inked, with little, if any, necessity for soiling. the fingers, or for spilling ink over surrounding objects. Itwill be seen that the apparatus is made'in very compact form. These and various other advantages of the herein described device would readily suggest themselves to any oneskilled in the art.

It will be obvious that the herein described invention may be used for'painting or inking cloth or other similar fabric, other than typewriter ribbons.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and. desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with means for stretching the cloth and ribbon and for passing it through the bath, of the frame E, the roller frame D pivoted at e on the said frame E and provided with the sliding part D, and adjusting screw D and the rollers D and D journaled in the fixed and sliding parts of said roller frame, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with means for stretching the cloth or ribbon and for passing it through the bath, of the frame E, the roller frame D pivoted at c on said frame E and provided with studs 01 the spring catches e adapted to engage said studs, the sliding part D, and adjusting screw D and the ro11ers'D aI1d D journaled in the fixed and sliding parts of said roller frame, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a spool for winding up the material to be treated, of a brush frame mounted on the axle of said spool, revolving brushes mounted in said frame, and gear wheels connecting said spool to said brushes, whereby said brushes are revolved when said spool is turned, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a frame K provided with faces is and 10 of a spool journaled in brushes, and the spur wheel M attached to 10 said frame, the brush" frame P pivotally con and revolving with said spool, substantially neeted to said frame K between said faces is as and for the purposes described. and 10 and provided with shoulders 19 and p v In testimony whereof I affixmy signature in 5 adapted to strike said faces, the brushes R presence of'two witnesses.

and R journaled in said frame P; the gear JOHN M. LOWE. wheels R and R mountedon the same shafts" Witnesses: V with the said brushes, the pinion-R con- E. J. DAVIS,

nected to and revolving with one of said .GEORGE M. WRIGHT. 

